Shloka 19

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

तस्माद्ददाति यो धेनुममृतत्वं स गच्छति / दानान्यष्टौ तु दत्त्वा वै गन्धर्वनिलये वसेत्

Transliteration

tasmāddadāti yo dhenumamṛtatvaṃ sa gacchati / dānānyaṣṭau tu dattvā vai gandharvanilaye vaset

Translation

Por ello, quien dona una vaca en caridad alcanza la inmortalidad. Y, en verdad, habiendo dado los ocho tipos de dádivas, mora en la morada de los Gandharvas.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Abl., Sg.)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present, 3rd, Sg.)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masc., Nom., Sg.)

• धेनुम्: a cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Fem., Acc., Sg.)

• अमृतत्वम्: immortality
• अमृतत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛta-tva (प्रातिपदिक: amṛta + tva)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/उपपद-भाव (अमृतस्य भावः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neut., Acc., Sg.)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masc., Nom., Sg.)

• गच्छति: goes; attains
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present, 3rd, Sg.)

• दानानि: gifts; donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neut., Acc., Pl.)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Masc., Nom/Acc, Pl.; numeral)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having given)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• गन्धर्वनिलये: in the abode of Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वनिलये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandharva-nilaya (प्रातिपदिक: gandharva + nilaya)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गन्धर्वाणां निलयः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Masc., Loc., Sg.)

• वसेत्: should dwell; may live
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकार), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd, Sg.)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Go-dāna is extolled as supremely meritorious, granting ‘amṛtatva’ (interpretable as long celestial life/undecaying status); completing ‘eight gifts’ yields residence among Gandharvas.

Vedantic Theme: Merit-based ascent (svarga/gandharva-loka) as karmic fruit; also a dharmic economy where generosity transforms destiny.

Application: Practice systematic giving: prioritize life-supporting gifts (food, shelter, care), and make charity consistent rather than occasional.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: loka/abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana lists of dānas (aṣṭa-dāna/mahā-dāna) and their phalas (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas

FAQs

What is the importance of go-dāna (cow donation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents go-dāna as a supremely meritorious gift, said to lead to “amṛtatva” (deathless blessedness), highlighting charity as a key support for auspicious post-death outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links specific meritorious actions (dāna) to specific post-death destinations: giving a cow is praised as leading to deathlessness, and completing eight forms of giving is associated with residence in Gandharva-loka—showing karma-to-realm mapping.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice intentional charity—supporting sustenance and welfare (symbolized by the cow)—and cultivate a habit of multiple forms of giving, aligning daily life with dharma and compassionate responsibility.